The invention relates to an apparatus for removing the breast from the eviscerated carcass of a chicken or other bird.
In the course of the eviscerating process of a chicken carcass normally an abdominal opening and a neck opening are cut in the carcass for the removal of the entrails and other parts, the body cavity thus being accessible through these openings. Generally also the neck and the tail of the bird are removed. In many cases, thereupon the useful component parts of the chicken, such as the wings, legs, and breast components, are removed from the carcass for separate processing and packaging, see for instance U.S. Pat. No. 3,943,600 to Cramer, U.S. Pat. No. 4,270,243 to Lewis and British Pat. No. 1,274,742 to Harvey and Cornford. According to these patents, the processing of the eviscerated carcasses in this manner is carried out by automatic means, requiring substantially no manual handling. Typically the carcasses may be delivered to the infeed end of the apparatus concerned by means of an overhead conveyor which supports the carcasses hanging by the legs and, for instance, in a position with the breast facing forwards.
A problem in an apparatus for automatically removing the breast from the carcasses delivered thereto is that independently of the size of the carcass the meat of the breast should be substantially completely removed therefrom with as little useful meat as possible remaining on the carcass so as to avoid losses.